Bound Beyond Death
by ColoredRooms
Summary: When death befalls Redguard thief Reyya, she finds herself in an afterlife unlike the one she expected. Bound into servitude as a Nightingale, Nocturnal commands she return to the land of the living to recover the Gray Cowl of Nocturnal and bring it back to the Evergloam. Under the constant guidance of Lady Luck, Reyya must venture across lands and realms to do her master proud.
1. Chapter 1

_**Bound Beyond Death**_

**Chapter 1**

Reyya jolted awake from her deathly slumber. She remembered dying very well. The untimely collapse of a Dwemer structure while exploring ancient ruins had been her downfall. The pain was quick and sudden, crushing, and then it was over. Yet she awoke here. This was not the afterlife she had expected. Her eyes emerged unto the purplish haze of the forest. Her Redguard heritage promised an afterlife in The Far Shores, a warm land free from hunger and thirst, free of fatigue and abundant with glorious challenges to entice the warrior spirits that went there.

But Reyya was no warrior spirit, and it seemed her choices had caught up to her. This wasn't The Far Shores at all, but the Evergloam, realm of the Daedric prince Nocturnal. No doubt it was her vow as a Nightingale that caused this.

"Arise, mortal." Nocturnal's voice came with power. "Awaken unto the Evergloam." Reyya shambled to her feet, holding her head in her grogginess. She looked around in confusion, and, in a rare moment, she felt lost and afraid. "Why am I here?" She called out into the foggy void of the sky. "Why?!" Nocturnal's voice boomed in return. "There is no room for 'why,' mortal, only the truth you see before you." Reyya felt her clothes. She was still in her Nightingale armor, as fit as it had been before she died. "I should be in the Far Shores. It's where I belong." Reyya spoke again, with less confidence than before. "Mmm? You think so?" Nocturnal's voice came back. "Death does not free you from your oath as a Nightingale, mortal. Even though yours wasn't so valiant. You shall serve me until I deem you free." Reyya couldn't help but doubt many thieves had a valiant death, but she did not respond. This wasn't the first time she had communicated with Lady Luck herself, and it was best to remain silent in times like these. "Come," Nocturnal said once more, "beyond the forest you will find Shade Perilous, my seat at the pinnacle of the Evergloam. I shall await you there."

Reyya couldn't help but wonder why Nocturnal would summon her specifically, but she had no choice in the matter. Reyya crossed the dark forest, passing twisting trees and stalking Gloam wolves. When the forest cleared, she saw Shade Perilous, a towering stronghold void of light. The door opened itself, beckoning Reyya to enter as a purple light glowed from within. Reyya stepped through cautiously to see Nocturnal seated on her throne, with black crows perched around her. The doors slowly shut behind her, leaving only the dim purple light that enveloped Nocturnal to aid Reyya's vision. If only she were a Khajiit, she thought.

"You are bound beyond death, Redguard." Nocturnal said in her deep, smooth voice. "You may yet see the sands of the Far Shores someday. But for now, you may be just the one to help me." Reyya did not respond. "Normally one would respond to that sentence with a 'what is it you'd ask of me, Night Mistress?' Or something like that." Reyya froze for a moment. "What… what is it you'd ask of me, Night Mistress?" she said in an unsure tone. Nocturnal appeared unimpressed. Eventually, she spoke again. "The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal… have you ever heard of it?" Reyya pondered for a moment. The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal? Was this another Daedric artifact? Reyya knew full well of Nocturnal's chief artifact, that being the Skeleton Key. It was her duty as a Nightingale to protect it. But Reyya didn't know there was another artifact of Nocturnal in existence. "I can't say that I have," Reyya said with respect. Nocturnal perched a crow upon her finger, and stared at it longingly. "It belonged to me once, as you may have gathered. But it was stolen a long time ago by a master thief. A rather good one, as much as I'd hate to admit it. He became known as the first Gray Fox." Oh! Reyya thought. The Gray Fox. Infamous thief of legend…

"There were many Gray Foxes throughout the years," Nocturnal continued. "I had, of course, cursed the Cowl, so that all who donned it would be forgotten in the memories of those that knew them." Reyya couldn't help but think what a horrible curse this was. She had mostly gone forgotten herself, since she chose the life of a thief over the warriors of her homeland. Nocturnal turned to her. "But something happened at the turn of the Fourth Era. The Gray Fox lifted the curse using an Elder Scroll, and left the Cowl in the hands of the Hero of Kvatch…" Reyya struggled to comprehend this. The Hero of Kvatch was some legend from over 200 years ago, or so she thought. Reyya wasn't sure they had truly existed until Nocturnal mentioned them. "The Hero of Kvatch?" Reyya asked. "Yes," Nocturnal responded, "the one who stopped the Oblivion Crisis all those years ago, as the Septim bloodline ended. Ah, what fun it was to see old Mehrunes Dagon humiliated at the hands of some mortals! Good times." Reyya almost smiled at this rare expression of glee from the Daedric prince.

"Nevertheless, the Hero had the Cowl. But it gets complicated from there. You see, at some point, they made a trip to the Shivering Isles, and killed Lord Sheogorath." Reyya's eyes widened at the thought. "Killed Lord Sheogorath? Another Daedric prince? In his own realm?" She had not thought a mortal could possess such power, or that Daedric princes could even die. "Indeed," Nocturnal said. "It's a long and complicated affair. Anyhow, the Hero of Kvatch became the new Sheogorath, Daedric prince of Madness. Now, this means one of two things…" Nocturnal rose from her throne, and the crows scattered away. She moved closer to Reyya, slowly. "Either the Hero kept the Cowl, and it resides in the Shivering Isles…" She continued, "or they foolishly gave it away, and it's lost in the mortal realm of Tamriel." Nocturnal was quite close now, and considerably taller than Reyya. She leaned in closer, and Reyya could feel the overwhelming pressure exerted by a Daedric lord. "Either way, I don't care. I want my Cowl back. And you're going to get it for me."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Bound Beyond Death**_

**Chapter 2**

Reyya was taken back by Nocturnal's request. "How can I get it back? She asked. "My time in the land of the living is over. You should send one of your living Nightingales after it, if it matters that much to you." Reyya crossed her arms in ire. This was not the rest she had sought in death. Defying a Daedra made her nervous, but she didn't appreciate being asked to do more work after she died in her field. Besides, there were plenty of thieves out there that had crossed paths with Nocturnal before. Reyya figured she could hardly be so important.

Nocturnal was less than happy to see Reyya be so defiant. "I thought you'd know better than to defy the commands of a Daedric prince, mortal." Reyya tried her best to maintain her composure, but the size and awe of Nocturnal was staggering. "I've watched you for some time, and I believe you have the skills necessary to retrieve my Cowl. Besides, it helps that you're already dead. The trip may be a perilous one, and you certainly can't die twice." Nocturnal turned away, and began conjuring a portal. "You'll emerge from this portal in Skyrim, within the Twilight Sepulcher. It contains the Ebonmere, the only portal in and out of the Evergloam." Nocturnal produced a small necklace with a purple crystal tied on the end in her hand. "You'll have to travel to the Shivering Isles first, and unfortunately, I cannot send you straight there. The portal lies in Cyrodiil's Niben Bay. It may or may not still be active." Nocturnal handed Reyya the necklace. The crystal had a faint vibration to it. "Keep this on you. It will allow us to communicate while you're outside of my realm."

Reyya stared at the portal, entranced. The purple swirling vortex reminded her of the waters of her home in Hammerfell, wherever they were fortunate enough to find it. "Come now, step through, mortal. We haven't got all eternity," Nocturnal said as she patted her back. "Well, I suppose we do, but my patience is too thin for that." Reyya began to put her hand through the portal, but hesitated. "If I do this… if I return your artifact, you'll let me go to my own afterlife? To see the Far Shores?" Nocturnal stared down at her a moment, before leaning down to her level. "Let's see how well you do first. Then we'll talk." Reyya could see she had no choice in the matter. She didn't like it, but she'd have to go along with it. She stepped through the portal with caution.

As she crossed the portal, her orientation changed as gravity shifted. The entrance portal was in front of her, but the exit portal was on the floor, and the shift in position disoriented her. She struggled to maintain her balance. When she regained her composure, she noticed her clothes had changed in the transition. She was now wearing more traditional Hammerfell garb with a tan scarf and boots. She retained her Nightingale blade, however.

The sudden change in attire shocked her. "My clothes…?" Reyya patted around her body to make sure what she was seeing was real. "What happened? How did my clothes change?" The crystal on Reyya's necklace vibrated softly as Nocturnal's voice came back. "Relax now, mortal. I couldn't leave you so obviously looking the part of a Nightingale. You'll blend in more this way." Reyya couldn't help but feel ridiculous dressed this way, but she didn't mention it. She hoped she wouldn't stand out even in the land of the Nords.

It had been a long time since Reyya had seen the Twilight Sepulcher, which was a sacred place for Nightingales. It housed the only worldly portal to Nocturnal's realm. The air felt dead, being moved only by Reyya's movement as she made her way out of the Sepulcher.

"You'll need to find passage out of Skyrim, and into Cyrodiil. Get moving, little one." Nocturnal's voice came again.

"'Little one?'" Reyya replied. "Who are you calling 'Little one?'"

"You. Now come on, you've got work to do."

The frosty air of Skyrim glided over Reyya's skin. Flora and fauna swirled before her. Life in the land of the living was the same as ever, with or without her presence. Yet, her soul still resided in the Evergloam. She wasn't truly alive with everything else. She was a husk, bound to Oblivion. "What's the nearest major city to here?" Reyya asked. It almost felt like talking to herself, and she wasn't quite used to it. "Falkreath," replied Nocturnal. "It isn't much, but it might make do. To the east." And with that, Reyya went ever onward.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Reyya trekked through the misty veil of Skyrim's forests. While Falkreath hold was Skyrim's southernmost region, it was still considerably colder than the lands Reyya was used to. The crystal vibrated again. "I'll be honest," Nocturnal said. "I can't foresee you finding trustworthy passage out of Skyrim in the city you're approaching."

"Why's that?" Reyya responded. "I thought this was a major city. One of Skyrim's capitals."

"Well, it is. The whole region has been under a bit of duress as of late, though."

"As in, 'the whole of Falkreath has been under duress?'"

"No, no, the whole of Skyrim. A civil war against the Empire, attacks by some dragons. All kinds of mortal dangers. Rather good entertainment from time to time."

_Dragons?! What have I been missing exactly? I guess I should keep up on the news more…_ Reyya thought to herself as she rounded another of Falkreath Hold's towering trees. "Oh, and fun fact," Nocturnal spoke once more. "There's a destroyed Dark Brotherhood sanctuary right there." Her words were drawn out as if she were trying to be sultry and spooky at once. Reyya dismissed the pointed-out fact. "I haven't got time to go investigating every tomb in Skyrim."

"Not even a peek?" Nocturnal responded. "You shouldn't be so high strung, mortal. The Dark Brotherhood are just our more deadly cousins, after all. We deal in coin, they deal in blood. I'm sure you'd fit in with them." Reyya just kept moving. She didn't want to spend too long among Skyrim's wilds, nor deal with whatever could be hidden within it. "I could do without the complete history of Tamriel, as narrated by Lady Nocturnal," Reyya growled. She could see the structures of Falkreath in the distance. "I sense you're less than happy with me," Nocturnal retorted. Reyya let out a sharp breath of fatigue. "Quite the keen eye you've got, mistress."

"I'm afraid you haven't got a choice, mortal. I'll speak as I wish to speak. You're bound to me." Reyya tried to stay focused on her travels. She didn't want to run into any danger. "What happens if I die?" she asked. Reyya just realized she hadn't even considered the possibility of dying again, or if she could so much as be harmed while in her soul-bound state. Considering all that could happen in a journey across Tamriel, she suddenly found it an immediately relevant question. "Oh," Nocturnal came back, "You'll just come back here. You'll appear as any normal dead body for a while, but you'll be sent back to Oblivion just like any conjured creature."

Reyya certainly didn't appreciate being compared to a "conjured creature," but she didn't have the energy to bring it up. She stepped foot upon Falkreath city's main road. Falkreath was a misty town surrounded by forest, and not terribly populated. Reyya remembered this town somewhat from her time in Skyrim. It wasn't the best place for thieving, because not many people had much worth taking. But, at least it wasn't as heavily guarded as many other Hold cities. Still, Reyya had to agree with Nocturnal's earlier sentiment; it isn't much, but it might make do.

Reyya approached one of the city guards. She had kind of forgotten that she's not wanted in these far-off lands, and she wouldn't be recognized or anything. "Um, excuse me, sir..." Reyya asked in a shy tone. "What do you want, citizen?" The guard had a thick Nordic accent and was adorned in standard guard armor tinted with Falkreath's colors, and carried a shield painted with the Falkreath emblem. "I was wondering…" Reyya continued. "I was wondering if you knew of any passage to Cyrodiil leaving from here. Or elsewhere in Skyrim."

The guard pondered for a moment. Reyya could feel her necklace vibrate. "Nords aren't amongst the brightest bunch in your realm, hm?" Nocturnal whispered. It occurred to Reyya that only she could hear Nocturnal's voice through the necklace, at least in this moment. The guard finally answered Reyya. "I don't know of any transport to Cyrodiil leaving from here. Mountains in the way, you see. There is a carriage that could take you to the other Holds. Maybe try one of those."

"Okay, thank you for your help." Reyya was a bit disappointed, but she tried not to show it. She wasn't cut out to brave the mountains of Skyrim alone, but she didn't want to spend too much time on this assignment for Nocturnal. She was hoping that getting where she needed to go would be easy, but it seemed that was not the case. She figured she'd try for Whiterun or Solitude, as she knew them to be the wealthier of Skyrim's many cities. But, Whiterun seemed the better choice since it was closer to Cyrodiil's border.

Reyya found the carriage in question at the front of Falkreath's gates, until she came to a sudden realization: She had no money. She had kept her Nightingale gear upon death, possibly due to Nocturnal's favor, but nothing else. With no gold, she'd have no way to pay for transport to Whiterun, or Cyrodiil for that matter. Nocturnal's voice resonated again. "Pockets feeling a bit empty?" She said coyly. Reyya let out a sigh. "I see none of my gold carried over beyond my death," she whispered. "No, I'm afraid not," Nocturnal responded. "It shouldn't be much of a problem, right? You are a thief, after all. You'd do well to steal some."

Reyya honestly didn't like the idea of being immediately thrust back into the life of a thief. Even though she wasn't truly being given a second life, it felt somewhat like a clean slate; a chance to start anew. And yet, the only skill she had now was stealing and fighting, and what little magic she knew from her brief stint with a Mages Guild. She figured she could try doing some mercenary work, but she didn't feel particularly cut out for it. She could fight, which was mostly thanks to her Redguard blood giving her a natural talent for it, but she wasn't as good as the true warriors of her homeland.

"I don't really want to resort to stealing now," Reyya said. Nocturnal was almost amused. "Has your death brought some new code of honor upon you? You're a thief. This is what thieves do." Reyya was still unsure, and it seemed Nocturnal could tell. "I gave you a job, and you have to do whatever is necessary to finish it. You won't be in this world forever. It's just a means to an end."

Reyya supposed she was right, but the effects of her actions would remain in Tamriel even after she no longer did. She felt bad to steal from these people, but she may have to. She didn't know. She turned back to look upon the downtrodden city, scanning for where to start finding the gold she desperately needed. It wouldn't be as easy or as enjoyable as stealing from the wealthy in the richer cities of Tamriel, but the money would have to come somehow. Falkreath wasn't much, but it might make do.


End file.
